James Hird stands tall after Essendon's Anzac Day triumph

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YOU don't have to barrack for Essendon to raise a glass - as the old soldiers do on Anzac Day - to James Hird.

Always a golden boy of the game, the Bombers coach cannot be applauded too sincerely for his and his team's performance as the Bombers grapple with a set of circumstances that no other coach in history has had to contend with.

It has been unrelenting - before the annual blockbuster against Collingwood yesterday, the drugs crisis was on the back page again and, as usual, it wasn't pretty.

That was no doubt why one of Hird's first gestures after the impressive 46-point triumph was to put his arm around veteran club doctor Bruce Reid.

It was symbol of solidarity, which has become one of the most important commodities in the Bomber arsenal.

It is scarcely credible a team that couldn't win a game to save itself for most of the second half of last season is now on top of the ladder, unbeaten and with a massive percentage.

The brave comeback against Fremantle was a mighty morale-booster but yesterday was better in some ways and more meaningful given the status of the occasion and Essendon's depressing recent record in it.

In front of 93,000, they won for only the second time in their last seven attempts.

James HirdSource:Herald Sun

As a player Hird used to own this day, three times winning the medal for best afield, and now he has done it for the first time as a coach at his third attempt.

If he keeps stamping himself on the day the league might have to seriously consider naming the medal or trophy after him.

As pleased as he was, Hird wasn't about to get ahead of himself but nor was he going to ignore the significance of the achievement, saying: "You value the way you play against good opposition - and Collingwood is an excellent team."

But he added: "It's Round 5 - another step towards where we want to be.

"Today is massive for the Essendon Football Club and for the Collingwood Football Club, more emphasis put on it by external forces than any other home-and-away game.

"The club wants to win because you're on show. We haven't won for three or four years and to be part of a win again on Anzac Day is very, very special.

"I'm not trying to undersell that but its early in the year and we saw last year what happened after halfway."

The off-field spectre will play itself out and how and when it will and the consequences for this proud club and its charismatic coach might prove to be damaging or even disastrous.

Or might not.

Hird was asked if he knew whether the club's internal investigation would be tabled next week and whether that was a concern for him.

His non-committal reply - "It doesn't matter how I feel about it" - was tantamount to a call of "play on."